The line graph illustrates the proportion of university students aged 18 to 25 years in four distinct regions from 1961 to 2011.
Overall, it is clear that there was an increase in the number of university attendees in all examined countries, although the extent of this increase varied. Notably, despite some fluctuations, Singapore consistently had the highest percentage of students pursuing tertiary education during the surveyed time frame.
Among the countries with higher percentages of university participants, Singapore initially exhibited the largest proportion, with nearly 25%. This figure experienced a slight decrease to 20% until 1991. However, from that year onward, it recovered and grew significantly, reaching a high of 43%, thereby maintaining its leading position overall. Starting from a lower figure of 15%, Thailand’s percentage soared to 36% from 1961 to 1991. It continued to increase, but at a slower pace, ultimately reaching 40% by the end of the period.
For the remaining countries, the percentage of university students in the Philippines rose steadily from 7% to just below 20% throughout the period. Meanwhile, Malaysia’s figure experienced moderate growth to 15% over a span of 30 years starting in 1961, but it remained unchanged until 2011.